michaelochurch

I agree, but the startups' selling point is that, even if a startup fails, the founders will have your back and line you up with investors to be a founder in your next gig. That doesn't happen anymore. The "pay it forward" culture died about 20 years ago, but because Silicon Valley still has that reputation, there are a lot of eager young kids who go to work there, thinking they're going to be VC-backed CEOs inside of 3 years, and working 90+ hour weeks under that supposition, when the reality is that almost none will.

The Silicon Valley game ruins careers far, far more often that it makes people millionaires.

Don't specialize too soon, but get some research papers out in undergrad because graduate admissions are difficult (way, way harder than law or business school) and a 4.0 isn't enough. Study analysis and probability, and take some CS courses, because the academic job market is a disaster and I don't foresee that changing. You'll need to be proactive in getting ready for "the Real World"; no one will teach you how to do that.

Get some form of research experience every summer-- including freshman year. Apply for REUs. Take the most advanced classes that you can, including graduate-level courses if they're available. Talk to professors and share your interest in moving into research. Many will be happy to bring you along, and while you probably won't make huge discoveries on your own at, say, 19; you can get your name on a couple papers.

Graduate schools want to admit people who are already graduate students. Research experience is a must if you want to get into a top-10 program (or, at least, was circa 2005).

Ever hear of deus ex machina? It's a real thing, bro.

God tends to be a little too comfortable with pointer arithmetic, though, if you ask me...

I have an obnoxious gray cat who knows the answer. She won't tell me, though.